Stress and a cup of tea

STRESS the hair pulling, teeth grinding, stomach turning feeling that some individuals deal with daily. According to McEwen, stress is brought upon when events that are interpreted as a threat to an individual elicits physiological and behavioral responses. Whether it’s finals week or the death of a loved one, stress takes its toll on our bodies positively and negatively. There are two body systems activated by stress, one is the sympathetic nervous system also known as “fight or flight”- which one professor recently tested by calling for a surprise pop quiz and our second system the HPA-axis which consists of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and the adrenal cortex.

Stress that releases cortisol the “stress hormone” helps the body mobilize its energies to fight a difficult situation, but the effects depend on the amount and duration. In fact, brief or moderate stress can actually improve attention and memory formation as well as ones performance on regular, simple tasks. Stress also helps enhance our immune system. On the other hand, prolonged stress does the exact opposite by impairing memory and immune activity.

But no need to stress! There are thousands of different techniques used for relaxation. The relaxation response is bringing your nervous system back into balance. One widely used technique is deep breathing meditation. In which you sit up straight with one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach, you breathe in through your nose feeling the hand on your stomach rising, and exhale as much air through your mouth, contracting your abdomen muscles, the hand on your chest should only move slightly. The more oxygen you get, the less tense, short of breath, and anxious you feel. 

Another technique is yoga and tai chi, they involve a series of both moving and stationary poses, combined with deep breathing. Feel free to check out this great website sharing helpful techniques and suggestions to help relieve stress.